Wednesday, April 29, 2009

In the ghost town


As probably everyone knows by now, Mexico is suffering from swine influenza epidemic. I have been well and so everyone I know, so you don't have to worry about me. In the worst case scenario, there's a hospital two blocks from my house. And if someone heard about the earthquake (last Monday), nothing happened either. I felt how the house moved, but it didn't scare me or anything. It's always just very strange to feel how the Earth moves. But yes, it felt like "oh great, just what we needed, a quake, as if the influenza wasn't enough"...)

The epidemic is scary, but I think there is no reason to panic, we just need to be careful. There are lots of hysterical people now, buying tons of food from the grocery store and looking at everybody as a potencial source of infection. (Well, everybody is a potencial source, but you should just see the look in their eyes!) And on the other hand, there are still people who are sure this is all a huge conspiracy (of the Government, of the USA... and probably there are other theories too). Then there are also people who think they are not going to get the flu because they've never got ill before, so why worry... I have to say that of these groups, I prefer the hysterical ones. At least they take care of themselves, even if excessively, which helps others too. Happily, most of the people seem to be careful but reasonable.

After the epidemic was announced late last Thursday, I have mainly stayed home or at boyfriend's house. I'm glad that I can write my thesis home, as the University is closed at least until the next week. Today I had to go to the bank and the supermarket, and the city really seems abandoned. There are lot less people on the streets, and all the bars, restaurants, cafés, movie theatres and schools are closed. It was strange... But I have to admit that it was kind of nice to go out after four days, even using the uncorfortable surgical mask. It was nice to feel the sun and the wind. Staying inside all the time is really boring, even if you know it's good for you.

Friday, April 17, 2009

I'm back!

I have been really busy lately with the thesis, which have kept me from writing... And right before Easter, my parents visited me and we traveled together to the beach. And then I was just very sick last week.

I'll be writing about my parents visit later, now I'll just want to show you my first swap package ever! In Ravelry, there's a group for grad school students. I love it and think it really helps me to stay motivated and achieve more, because the idea is to post about your progress with the studies every week. And to spoil ourselves little, we have also swaps! I have never participated in a swap before, but I'm glad I did now! Look at this lovely package Sobeknofret (ravelry-link) send me! So much delicious chocolate and good tea (both quite hard to get here) and other fun things! And lovely, soft yarn... That will become something nice and warm for me.


I haven't had time to knit too much, but here's a baby set I made for my friend's babyshower. I think she liked it! I haven't knitted baby stuff before, but I have to say it's very nice. Kind of instant gratification: you get cute things made in couple of hours. The instructions for the Baby Berry are here.


I have also been knitting Wilhelmiina with Neja's instructions. No photos yet...I started it already on March, but it's advancing very slowly, as the cable charts are quite complex and I can't knit it while I watch TV or am in the car, when I usually mostly get my knitting done. I'm also not very enthusiastic about Wilhelmiina right now. That's probably because being quite stressed with the thesis, I really don't want to knit anything complicated. Buuut... I also don't want to leave it now, because I know I wouldn't pick it any time soon, and I really want to use it. I'm actually waiting to get to the mindless stockinette part. I am!